Which computer is safer from cybercrime: Mac or PC? The answer may surprise you.
Remember the commercials with the young savvy man (Mac) vs the older stuffy man (PC)? These ads went a long way towards changing the perception of Apple as a cutting-edge, hip and cool technology company. As cool as Macs have become, however, the perception that Macs are inherently safer or more up-to-date than PCs is a myth that can hurt Apple users.
Less than three months into 2018, there were as many new examples of Mac malware as were ever found in such a short period of time. That year began with the discovery of OSX/MaMi, a robust malware that acts as spyware by pointing infected Macs to malicious DNS servers. Since then, more viruses and malware have been created and installed on Macs around the globe, and the trend is only going to increase as more cybercriminals target Mac users.
Where does this myth come from? It’s really just a simple numbers game—Android phones, PCs, and other Microsoft products are far more widespread globally than those on Apple-based software, so hackers and other cybercriminals are more likely to target them in order to achieve the maximum possible infection or destruction. This doesn’t mean a Mac is actually any safer, but the myth persists since most well-known viruses, trojans, and spyware tend to target PC software.
ESET, an internet security company, released the results of a survey last year that showed Mac users are victimized by cyber criminals just as often as PC users are, even though both PC and Mac users actually think that Macs are safer. Not only are Mac users just as vulnerable, they tend to lose more money in the attacks than PC users. Often Mac users are acting under the assumption that their computers are safe, and thus fail to install security software, leaving them even more at risk.
Always be safe and alert, no matter which kind of device you use. Macs, PCs, iPhones, Androids, and other kinds of computers and operating systems are ALL vulnerable to cyber attacks. Ignore the logos and make sure all your devices are protected from malware no matter what.
